VPon this day of S. Micha­ell the Archangel, hath the gospell béene accustomed to bée read and expounded in the Churches, which is extant in the 18. Chap. of S. Mathew, by occasion taken out of these wordes: The Angels of them in heauen doe alwayes see the face of my Father which is in heauen. Math. 18. Séeing then the sacred Scriptures of the olde and new Testament do teach many things touching holy Angels, and séeing they are before God, our fellowe seruauntes and coheyres of eternall sal­uation, yea our faythfull and continuall kéepers or watchmen. The other part of this dayes gospel being reserued, & defer­red til an other time, now for this howre (by Gods helpe and grace) we will one­ly intreate of Angels: which haue large­lye [Page] [Page] [Page] the 24. of S. Luke, when his Apostles had séene him after he was risen againe, and did thinke that they had séene a spi [...]rite, the lord said vnto them. Beholde my handes and my feete, I am euen he Han­dle mee and looke vpon mee: For, a spi [...]rit hath not fleshe and blood, as yee see me haue: And he shewed thē his hand [...] and his feete.

Difference betwene spirits and bodily cre­tures.Héere Christ teacheth vs, a difference betwene spirites, and bodily creatures▪ For, God hath framed a two folde kind of substaunces in creatures, certaine cor [...]porall and visible creatures, such as men are: also as brut beastes and other body­es are, which may bée touched and seene [...] certaine spirituall, which bee called spi [...]rites, whose substaunce is not corporall, or compact and framed of elemēts. Such spirituall creatures are the reasonable soules of men, and Angelicall natures, which haue in them neither bones nor flesh. An Angel in his substance can no [...] eyther be felt, handled, or holden, w^t han [...]des, or seene wyth carnall eyes. These spiritual creatures hath God our creator (in respecte of other creatures,The excel­lency of spi­ritual crea­tures. excellēt­lye aduaunced) wyth moste precellen [...] [Page] [...]iftes, moste profounde singular and no­ [...]able wisdome, and vnderstanding, with merueylous force and strength and with other speciall vertues, and giftes, ador­ned and inritched. And hath vsed theyr [...]iligence and ministrye to accomplishe and spéedely to bring to passe euen grea­ [...]est affaires. And so dooth S. Paule vnto [...]he Hebrues, call Angels, spirites:Heb. 1. For in [...]eede the nature of them is very & highly [...]oble, excellent, and wonderful. By these [...]t appereth plainly and may be gathered, [...]hat good Angels are spirituall creatures which for this purpose also are made and [...]reated vnto the similitude of God, that [...]hey may extoll hym with perpetuall [...]raise, and honour or worship him: con­ [...]erning whom I will afterward speake.

Secondly wée must also learne, whe­ [...]her there be moe kindes of Angels then [...]ne. Héere, wée knowe out of gods word [...]hat there are bothe good and euill An­ [...]elles. Good Angels God calleth his chil­ [...]rē: Iob. 38. But euill Angelles are Deuils. Good and Euill An­gels.

But peraduenture some man woulde merueill and aske thys of mee: from [...]hence haue deuils theyr originall? [...]eing that Moyses, sayeth in Genesys. 1. [Page] [Page] [Page] in the beginning of Genesis, menci­on is made of this battaile, and most greuous conflict, betwene the sonne of God, and these deuils: where wee reade thus, That the seed of the Woman shall breke in sunder the Serpents head.Genes 3. And that the serpent burning with infinite lust of reuenge, by endlesse and vnsaciable ha­tred in al that he can, shal with excéeding beastly rage & cruelty persecute the same seede.

But, that Angels by theyr owne wyll and luste became disobedient,Angels de­generate. and haue lost theyr brightnesse and sincertie: The Epistle of S. Iude witnesseth, where hee clearely and profoundly sayth. The An­gels obserued not their Originall: That is to saye,Iude. 1. they were in the beginning made pure and vndefiled, but afterwards they became disobedient like as S. Peter, sayth.2. Pet. 2. They transgressed, and therefore were they plagued. And Christ saith, that the Deuill continewed not in truth: Iohn. 8. sig­nifying by the wordes: Hee was indeede created in truth, but hee aboade not in the truth, but fell from the truth, and pe­rished. And in an other place hee sayeth. That the deuil speakes lies of his owne. [Page] That is, hee speaketh lyes of that,Ibidem. which hée receiued not from God, but what hee of his owne will, liberty and luste tooke & chose vnto himselfe, this is sinne. This doctrine is néedefull to bée knowen, and to know this, maketh much for our pur­pose, least wée doo fall into that filthy he­risie of the Manichees, and that wée may be fortified against the same: And this doctryne did these auncient Fathers of sound iudgment diligentlye teach, and beate into mens eares. Contrarie wise, good Angels béeing corroborate or strēg­thened by the sonne of God, through hys holy spirite continued still in obedyence & were confirmed, that so the son of God might continue and abide there lord and head.

Thirdlye also the Ministerye of good Angels and theyr office,Ministerie of good Angels and of euill. let vs sée out of the worde of God. And first héere euen thys is speciallye necessary, that we may learne suffcientlye to knowe the will and practyses of the euyll spyrit agaynst vs.

Of y^e Hebrues, Sathan is called that euil Spirit, (y^t is to say.) The aduersary. For al deuils be perpetual dedly vnreclaimable [Page] [Page] [Page] vnto him. For so is hee made, that he fea­reth no man.

A man may see a certaine image of Sathā in the Turkes, which are y^e most dee­rest and most diligentest vessels and in­strumentes of Sathan to the accomplishment of all his will,The Turke a right image of Sathan. lust, and desires. In these may you haue a certayn image not obscure, of that malicious & most cruell splrit, to beholde, with such outrage of minde, with so great bitternesse of cruel­tye are the Turkes enflamed againste Christians: with so deadly and beastlye cruell hatred, are they swolne against them, that they aduenture and suffer at full, all manner of gréefes, miseries, and calamities, hunger, thirst, most gréeuous labours, scourges, stripes, woundes, yea and also death it selfe: So that they may hurt and worke extreame iniurye tow­ardes the bodyes and goods of Christes true beléeuers. And where they pre­uaile in strength, hauing obtained some one victorie ouer the Christians, they are not contented with the ritches and substaunce, nor wyth the obedyen­ce and seruilitye of Christians, but wyth beastlye, and horryble crueltye [Page] they kill and slaie as well young as olde, men and womē, with the sword ripping the bellyes of women great with childe, they hange vp babes and silly infantes vppon hedges or stakes, they dismember and butcherly mangle in péeces their captiues with their hooked and bowed faw­chins, none other wise then Butchers doo Oxen: Neither are they touched with any neuer so sclender motion, of mercye towardes them or their so great calami­tye: That I may in meane time let passe with silence theyr mischéeuous filthy dealinges, bothe horrible to héere, and to re­peate, as also theyr abhominable sinnes shamelesse crimes and reproches where­with they punnish & torment those silly Christians, whome they haue captiued.

Wée can not sée Sathan,Sathan vn­uisible in substaunce. in his sub­staunce, because hée is a spirit, as Paule sayth Ephes. 2. And againe in the 6. Cha. thus: We fight not against blod & flesh: But Sathans most malicious & murde­ring will, cogitations, hatred, craftie dealings practises & councels against vs, after a sort wee may know & see in his members That is, in vngodly persons, who be voide of y^e feare of God & indued [Page] [Page] [Page] are with what force of body and minde, and with what strength hée is indued: what weapons or defences hee will vse, what are his determinations, what thinges he practiseth, and with what pol­licies & subtilties he is instructed. These when thou hast diligentlie searched out, then much better furnished, and much more boldlie maiest thou marche on to set vpon him, thereby more busilie maist thou defend thy selfe, so much more cir­cumspectlie maiest thou inuade him, and thereby more assured, and more greater hope maiest thou haue to obtaine the vic­torie, and beare the prize away. And that same our heauenlie Father hath opened and disclosed vnto vs his childrē, by good credit in his worde, all this enimies thoughts, determinations, practises, en­terprises, will, power, and warlike pro­vision of this our horible and mightie e­nimie: to the ende that we may well and stronglie defend our selues against hys violence, practise and snares: to the ende wée might goe against him, easilie abide y^e brunt of his assault, & be able to quēch and vanquish all his firie dartes. If so be that wée at no time through great and [Page] filthie ingratitude and foolishnes despise and reiect the doctrine of God, and his admonitions: nor as faithlesse vngrati­ous, vngodly, trucebreakers, forsworne, fearefull and fainthearted souldiors ca­sting away our weapons, dispairing in minde, without any resisting (which the most mercifull God turne from vs) yéeld our selues into perpetuall and wretched seruitude, nor deliuer ouer our selues vnto so filthy, so horrible and so beastly cruell enemie.

Therefore nowe hearken ye and giue eare,After vvhat maner Sa­than inua­deth man­kinde. how that changeling our most dili­gent and most craftie deceitfull enemye inuadeth and tempteth mankinde, with what subtill sleightes he rusheth in vp­pon vs, with what bandes of power hée fighteth against vs, with what garboiles he besturres him, and what subtilties and fraudes he vseth to circumuent vs. He is not ignorant that we shalbe made partakers of eternall righteousnes and saluation, and that we shall attaine the­ther from whence his vile corruption fell, if we doe constantly & by al meanes sticke to the trueth of the Gospell, em­bracing the same with both armes, and [Page] [Page] [Page] the wordes of God, preferring his lyes before them, inducing them against the worde of God, and disanulling the words of God, preferred he his craftie lyes in place of them. This false tale was the beginning, the well spring the roote and cause of all our miserie and ca­lamitie. This most filthie and dead­lye did Sathan notably decke with col­lours and set to sale for his aduauntage: when he saide It should come so to passe▪ if they did eate of that tree, Genes. 3. that they should knowe both good and euill, and that they should be euen as Gods. Héere the policie and practises of that old Ser­pent fell out euen as he himselfe wished them,Sathans first victory ouer man­kinde. whereby he purposed to cast man­kinde headlong into the same disobedi­ence, (whereunto he himselfe was fal­len down) that they should not continue in the truth. This was the first victory of this our enimie ouer vs: which hée obtained, not by any good or iust means, but onely by meere murthering falshood and treacheries. By this victorie gotten ouer vs also he so held vs altogether and euerie one of vs drawen, enthralled bound and made his owne bondslaue, [Page] yea he so chained vs together & brought vs into that bondage, that not one of vs in deede could escape or start from him: had not afterwards y^e truth, wisedome & power of God himselfe that is to say,Christes greatest be­nefites tovvardes vs. the onely begotten and naturall sonne of God bin made man to the end he might encounter in a wonderfull battell with that most craftie Serpent: and foile him with his owne weapons, yea ouerthrow and vtterly vanquished him: so that not onely by fine force and power, but al­so by good right, he assailed with strong hand hereby to deliuer al mākind out of Sathans power and iurisdiction.

If then at the beginning his lyings, deadly practises, and mischéeuous enter­prises against mankind (of all creatures so perfectly framed) so wishfullie and so notably by and by came to passe as hée would haue it,Sathans subtil de­ceites. As he is a soule slaier. that he could cast down our first parentes into this farre most wretched, most gréeuous most sorowful and most horrible calamitie of all other: when as yet they were frée from sinne, when they were of firme, and vpright of liuely and florishing, of sound and vn­defiled conuersation: If (I say) he could [Page] [Page] [Page] seduced, corrupted and besotted man­kinde with so horrible so manifolde fals­hoodes, deuilish deceites and errours, (as Moses witnesseth in the 6. of Gene.) that, All the earth was wicked and cor­rupt in the sight of God, and was filled with iniquitie: And al flesh vpon earth had corrupted their former waies wher­in they were prescribed of God to con­tinue, So, that God (in respect of his Iu­stice) coulde no longer suffer that huge, farre spred and infinite mallis of Sathan, & that abūdance of wickednes & sinnes so raging▪ But therfore destroied he with an vniuersall deluge all that first age of the world, sauing viii. persons onelie. And when that Noah & his ofspring or kinred in y^e same new world begā a fresh to be planted and somewhat to increase, by and by Sathan againe brocheth and practiseth his subtil sleights, when there were a feaw persons, and as it were de­solate soiourneis which truely feared & knew God,Genes. 7. as Noah & his kinsfolke did. Then filleth hee the earth with Idola­tries and all kinde of errours brought in by his false and vngodly doctrines.

But, God (not vnmindefull of his [Page] mercie) chose vnto him againe a certaine man and his séede, namely Abraham: The mercy of god in stirring vp Abraham. with whome the truth of Gods woorde was founde. And yet notwithstan­ding there was an Innumerable mul­titude of Gentils vppon earth voyde of all knoweldge of God.Genes. 12. In Israell doubtlesse the name of God was onelie knowen, there the knowledge of him florished: The nations (as Paule wit­nesseth) in the worlde not trusting in God: Rom. 1. But were without all knowledge of him. And I pray you what a hand­full and a very little portion of people were the Iewes in respect of the Gentils? But what other thing did the Gentils being enthralled and seduced with the illusions and diuelishe deceites of Sa­than, then that they serued him and worshipped him, with diuers & infinite manifolde Idolatries? Did hée not with so horrible and detestable blindenesse béesotte infatuate and bewitch them that they adored and worshiped, Cats Dogges Curlewes, also other filthie and vile liuing Creatures, as Ser­pentes and Crocodiles, by the testi­monie of manie and diuers Histories? [Page] [Page] [Page] of their errours amongst them, they might infect & corrupt others with their maladie.

Of this mā came the sect of Ni­cholatainesSuch one was Nicholas one of the se­uen Deacons in the Citie of Antioche the enemie of Chast Matrimonie. Actes▪ 6. But in very déede not long after and whyles certaine of the Apostles were yet liuing, hee began by his false Apo­stles to preach lyes, and to sowe abroade his horrible errours, most vngodly opi­nions, and most false doctrines: namely, .1. That there is no resurrection of the flesh .2. Again, That righteousnes or saluatiō be­fore God, cōmeth by the worke of the Law. .3. Thirdly, That Christ is not a true God, but mā only. But when y^e Apostles of Christ had slept in the Lorde, and that lying & false forsworne Spirit thought he had a time giuen him in the world▪ to sowe his leasings and lyes (when, the A­postles were gone to God) then and not before (like as wee may sée the same in Egesippus) began hee to turmoyle him­self and stirre vp discordes in y^e Church, by his lyings, by his corrupting y^e scrip­tures, and eftsoones planting and brin­ging [Page] in Heresies against the Creation, against the diuinitie and humanitie of Christ, also fayning a certaine corporall kingdome of Christ vppon earth▪ before the latter day,Diuers He­risies. wherein wee shoulde a­bound with, and inioy all kinde of most exquisite pleasures: which was the opi­nion of Cerinthus the Heretike,Cerinthus. lyke as Eusebius himselfe witnesseth in his 3. booke. There were diuers heresies a­gainst Christ: This Heretike was not perswaded that the naturall man was God. Another beleeued not that God was natural man. And heare good Lord, howe much calamitie and what horri­ble errours brought he in, howe many blasphemies belched hee ought against Christ, by the Montanists,Montanists. Mar [...]ionists Manichies. Nestorians. Pelagians. the Marcio­nists, the Manicheys, the Arrians, the Ne­storians, & lastly by Pelagius, who coulde not abyde that Christ should be our Re­deemer, but woulde néedes haue saluati­on to be merited by workes. This Pela­gius was a Moncke, and left behind him a filthy and noysome stincke, of whome those begging Monckes first began their order. How then? Did he not I pray you establish in the Popedome horrible and [Page] [Page] [Page] Sathans workemanship, with all hys power, of whome Paule wryteth vnto the Thessalonians. 2. Epistle. 2. Chap.

I pray you what troubles and cala­mities hath not the same spirit of lying and murder, stirred in this our so great­ly vnquiet time in the country of West­phalia Munsteri.

What subtil sleightes Sathan did vvorke in Westpha­lia.Beleeue mee hée is a wonderfull and notable craftes maister in deceiuing the worlde, he is most absolutely furnished with all kynde of subtill sleight, deceipts and mischéefes to beguile vs, and euen to worke wonders is hée taught and ex­ercised in this wrestling place: where he findeth auditories & schollers docible & tractable. Whom by and by he so be sot­teth and blindeth their mindes, that of some errours hee breedeth moe: was it not a most great and horrible, bewitch­ing dementation or dooting, and blin­ding of theyr sences, when as incontinently the cittizens of Munster were driuen awaye from the symplicitye of Gods woorde, touchyng the Sacra­mentes, by wonderfull and subtyll sleyghtes iuglynges and deceiptes? [Page] when it caried those whome it would, and cast downe headlonge such persons eftsons out of moste greeuous errours, into more greeuous, more heinous and more horrible errour.

First,The errors of the Mun­sterians. Sathan besotted them with this error, y^t they baptised children twice, & so most gréeuously dishonored this hono­rable Sacrament. This was the first step vnto theyr distructtion. After that with a certaine incredible and most fai­ned hipocrisie did he blind them, so that the most godly and most honest person was reputed for a most wicked and most lewdest of others, except he would baptise children twise. The hearts also of certaine persons hée so bewitched and blinded, that they thought themselues to be, very Prophets. When as therefore hée had called and drawen them away, from the woorde of God, vnto those theyr dreames, hée might for certainty promise himselfe the conquest ouer them nay hée had all ready conquered them. And indéede thus far had that wolfe lea­red and lurked, béeing clad in a shéepes skinne, boasting himselfe to be a sheepe: But when those errours which hee had [Page] [Page] [Page] were not these horrible thinges? is not Sathan here a merueilous, a guileful in­snarer, a notable craftes maister in lies? That by his illucions casteth mankind into so great troubles,Sathan hol­deth Pa­pists fast bound in errors. and so great cala­mities? Dooth hee not also dayly in most horrible manner make blynde our ad­uersaries the most cruel and most spight full Papists? Dooth he not amongst them norrish & cōfirme horrible blasphemies against god? Dooth he not mightily hold fast and beesot them with his errours, that they can not by any meanes abide to heare the true and sinceare gospell, and that they had rather héere the most vile, most filthy and most fabulus toies, then the scriptures of God? And yet they suffer whoredomes and other lustes and mischéefes to escape vnpunished: But in the meane tyme such as beleeue the gos­pell▪ and endeuour to direct theyr lyfe af­ter the rule & prescription thereof, those do they extremely persecut, hate, persue, teare in péeces with reproches & sclaun­ders, yea spoile them of theyr substance and with deuised torments do they vexe them. Is not this a worke of the deuill and a blindnesse of him that the most [Page] manifest & cleare scriptures are set be­fore the Papistes and by all meanes so expounded,No truth can make them yeeld. euen as the true Catholi­que Doctors and Christians haue vn­derstood the same from the beginning, that they are compelled to confesse it to bee the woorde of God: And yet Sathan holdes them so Captiued and bounde in the chaines of mannes tra­dicions, that they are not afraied frée­lye and openlye to saye, that they can not imbrace that doctrine of God, ex­cept fyrst the Pope and his Bishoppes doe like thereof and alowe the same. As if we laye against them, both kindes of the reuerende Sacrament touching the body & blood of Christ, to be both mini­stred vnto the laye people, and also that Christ so ordeyned the same: and that y^e Apostles in like maner deliuered and vsed the same: and that it was so admi­nistred from the Apostles time, vntill the Counsell kept at Constance, 120. yeares agone. When these thinges are layd against them, when they are vrged with these matters, so that they can bring forth nothing against thē. nor deny any of them: yet notwythstandynge to [Page] [Page] [Page] they beare rule in the worlde. That thing euidently appeared by his workes and mischeuous practizes. A man may see in the Euangelicall history euery where, how wretchedly he turmoyled, vexed and tormented them, whose bo­dyes hee possessed: with what violence hee holdes them, and how hee driueth them whether soeuer hée will. A man may sée how great tyranny he exercysed in Iudea, how many he inuaded, & how he bereft them of theyr wits and sences. Wée reade in the 13. of S. Lukes gospell, that a woman had the spirit of infirmi­tie 18, yeares and howe shee was so shronke together, that shee could not holde vppe her head at all. This wo­man (said Christ vnto her when hee had healed her) had Sathan bounde so ma­ny yeares.Sathans power per­mitted by God. Hee is able to sende dis­eases vnto mennes bodyes, hee is a­ble also to stirre vppe and bringe a­mongst mankynde plagues, and other dyscommodities and calamityes, as also fyrye impressions, hurtfull tem­pestes, battelles, sedicyons, spoylinges of countryes and citties, with all maner of mischéefes.

[Page]By what and how cruell meanes did he exercise that holy man Iob!Iobes af­flictions. When God had suffered this to be doone vnto him, Sathan foorthwith brought vp­on his familie and substance euen a cer­taine huge sea full of all Calamities & hinderances.Iob. 1.2. & 3. First by Sathans insti­gation, the Sabaeians violently rushing vppon his grounde, droue awaye his Bulles, Oxen and asses, slaying his Seruauntes also. Afterwardes a fyer beeing by Sathan caste downe out of the Ayre brent all Iobes Sheepe, Shep­heardes and Seruauntes. Inconti­nentlye after that, the Caldeans wyth three furnished armies made an as­sault vppon hys Cammelles, tooke them by force awaye, and smote hys younge menne with the edge of the sworde. Beesides these, when the sonnes and daughters of Iob, were receiued at a banquet in the house of hys eldest sonne, and refreshed them selues alltogether with meate and drinke, hée stirred vp a most grée­uous and horryble tempest: So that a moste outragyous wynde comming [Page] [Page] [Page] béene so shutte and fast bound in any se­crete place or déepe dungeon, that hée coulde neuer burst out of his chaynes and get loose from thence, then might we bée safe ynough, and then might we law­fully (as they say) sléepe soundly on both sides, with eche foote in eyther eare cou­ched.

But in very déede seeing he is an eni­my such and so great, so mightie, so en­uious, so spitefull, so bitterly swelling and enflamed, so treacherous, so cruelly, fearce, so craftie, so wylie, so changling so watchfull, so laboursome, so wicked and alwayes so néere our daungers, which nowe for a certaine M. of yéeres space hath wonderfully exercysed man­kind, hath assaulted vs with all kind of weapons, and eftsons hath circumuen­ted vs with one or other subtill snares: Neither is he once tyered nor awearied at any time, but walketh vp and downe, and, shall walke vp and downe lyke a Lyon roring, and béeing thorowly en­raged, séekes none other thing, practy­seth nor imagineth any thing else, then to swallow vp and deuour mā: That is to saye to consume, tread vnder foote, [Page] destroy and vtterly to extinguish all mankinde in bodye, soule, good name and worldlye substance. These things sith they so be, vndoubtedly we may not sléepe so soundly and become so sloth­full and so sluggish. When wee sléepe, he sléepes not, but watcheth most cir­cumspectly with eyes alwayes fixt to­wardes some occasion, that hée maye steale vppon vs, when we are so slée­pie sluggish and so carelesse. Hée is in euery place, yea hée is neere and a­mongst vs, euen in the very secret pla­ces of our houses, neither steppes hee once an naile bredth from vs, and as­saulteth vs by diuers and wonderfull meanes: this man by this meanes, and that man by that Ramme and warlike engen of temptation (as it may agreea­bly serue with his name) dooth hee [...]rye men.

For hée is called Tentator in Latin, which, (in Englishe, Math. 4.) wée reade to bée, a Temptor to euill. If hée cannot cast thée headlong into this mischéefe, hée frameth other engynes to cast thée, into an other. In thy house and familyes stirreth hée vp [Page] [Page] [Page] promptitude,What time Sathan watcheth to worke his mis­cheefe. and gratitude of mindes as it ought to be, then easilie and forth­with is he able to plucke out and roote out of our heartes that wholesome séede of the Gospell, that men should not be­leeue the same and obtaine saluation, like as Christ himselfe teacheth in .8. Luke, Of the séede falling néere vnto the hie way. He is able to intangle and draw thée quite away into y^e company of lewde persons, which when they haue defiled thee with their disease, are able with their infection so to corrupt thée, that there shall neuer be any hope of re­couerie in thée afterward: And that all this labour shall be lost in the twinck­ling of an eye; yea all diligent careful­nesse, and carefull diligence which pa­rents bestowe and imploy vpon their Children in bringing them vp, instruc­ting and informing them, is all to no purpose. By lyke contagion, sayth the verity in Iohn 13. did the deuill put into the heart of Iudas, to betray his maister Christe.

This ought we rightly and diligently to consider and not slenderly to regarde: That Sathan is so néere man, that in [Page] neere vs, yea euery where layeth hee snares for vs, watcheth ech where, and [...]s redy to all occasion, that with so great power, such craftines, so wonderful, so subtill, and so wily deceipts or illusions he is able to cast man seduced, headlong into sinnes: and when he hath once pos­sessed his heart, and infected it with one myscheife or other, he is able out of one mischeife to cast y^e same person into ano­ther, far more greeuous more horrble, and more wonderfull. Let that be al­wayes considered in our mindes, and let it not slyp out of our memory which S. Paule sayth. Ephe. 2. That euill Spirite dwelleth in the Children of Dis­obedience.

Neither violently draweth he the vn­godly ones alone out of one mischief in­to an other,Sathan hin­dereth as vvell the godly as the vngod­ly but hée can euen binder & stay the very godly persons, that they the lesse shall be able to finish any godly or holy worke begon, and not such with expedition & care as they otherwise both ought and would doe: except they bende themselues continually with prayers a­gainst those his snares or deceits, and ex­cept they diligently & dayly be watchful. [Page] [Page] [Page] mischéefe followes vs hard at our héeles or with tooth and naile holdes them fast neither shall he make an end of seducing mankinde, and of bringing all mane [...] calamitie and mischéefe to our bodyes▪ soules & goods, vntil such time as Chris [...] at the very last iudgement shall thro [...] him downe headlong into the bottom­lesse pitte of hell. And therefore, that is néedefull that wée defend vs against his snare, suggestions and enterprises, yea at euery moment to beware of him, and as fully furnished to stande to him in the front of the battaile, lyke as S. Paule saith in .6. Ephes. carefully and di­ligently admonishing vs, as also tea­ching vs with what weapons and with what complite harnes, furnished a Chri­stian Souldyour may defende himselfe against this enimye.With what armour and weapons we must vvith­stand Sathā & his An­gels. Stand fast there­fore (saith he) with your loins girt round about wyth veritye, and putting vp­pon you the brestplate of righteousnes, and your feete shodde, that you may be prepared vnto the Gospell of peace, aboue all taking to you the shielde of faith, wherby you may be able to quēch all the fierye dartes of that wicked [Page] [...]irite, and put you on that helmet of [...]luation, and gird you with that sword [...]f the spirite▪ which is the word of God, [...] all prayer and thanks giuing, praying [...]wayes in the spirite, and there vnto [...]atching with all constancie and suppli­ [...]tion for all Saintes. &c. Ye vnderstand [...]ere how diligently and how carefully [...]is faithfull old beaten and neuer wea­ [...]ed souldiour of Christ S. Paule admo­ [...]isheth vs, with what armour hee sen­ [...]th vs, with what trompet sounde hee [...]irreth and incourageth vs valiantly to [...]sist this enemie. This chéerefull blast [...]is exhortation so earnest, so instant [...]nd so vehement, is truely able to [...]dmonish and teache vs, that it is nei­ [...]her any slender or trifeling charge per­ [...]yning to vs, neither yet that wee [...]oulde thinke it a slender wrastling or [...] it were a certaine collusion, but y^t it is [...]most fearce fight and y^e same which we [...]ust perpetually abide the bickering of, [...]eing we haue so mighty an Enimy bur­ [...]ing with so great hatred towardes vs, [...]nflamed with so greate wrath against [...]s, and furnished with so merueilus de­ [...]eits & a thousand futtle sleights, bréefly [Page] [Page] [Page] their ministerie and function, with great faith and diligence doe they guide, direct gouerne and defende vs: They are pre­sent with vs, helpe vs euery where, pro­uidently take care of vs, and doe obtaine for vs all thinges tending to the glory of Christ, and euen reconcile him vnto vs, doe instill and beate into our mindes his holy will, ye doe call vs away and plucke vs backe from al those sinnes and vices which God hath forbidden vs, and which he abhorreth.

For that cause. S. Paule. 1. Heb. de­scribeth good Angels on this maner.Good An­gels mini­string Spi­rites. Are they not all ministering spirites, which are sent forth into the ministery for their sakes, which shall be heyres of saluation? Héere we learne that Angels are Ambas­sadours and Messengers sent from hea­uen, euen from God vnto true belée­uers, to serue and attende vppon them, and in al assaies to bée present with thē, to succour them, helpe them, and to pre­ferre the good enterprises, studies, and godly actiōs of them, which shall be made [...]prtakers of the inheritance of eternall life. For, this is their chéefe and most feruent prayer, that we may by and by [Page] be conuerted from euil and vngodly life, and repent vs vnto better and more pro­fitable amendment, and that we should abide steadfast in the truth, & they do in­finitely reioyce, when we are conuerted from sins vnto God, which thing Christ himself saith in .18. Luke. Héere are their hearts manifest knowen to vs, how sin­cere, howe godly, how wellwilling and how ready they are to doe vs good, yea how feruently they loue vs, & how faith­fully they embrace vs.

O, that wee could sée with corporall eyes with how firme & strong sauegarde and succour of his Angels God gardeth & preserueth defendeth and protecteth vs from all dangers whereunto we should otherwise runne headlong: were it not that God protected vs with his Angels, (good God) with how gréeuous hazardes shoulde wee bee ensnared and distressed.Gods pro­tection of his elect by his good Angels. How little helpe in our selues or else a­ny where might we finde, how shoulde we be perplexed, how should we be tor­mented, how most miserable of all crea­tures should we become? For by nature, wee are faintharted and fearefull sillie soules, and wee are alwayes afrayde, [Page]

[Page] Caesar or the king of Assiria called Ze­nacherib had beseeged Hierusalem with an hoaste of .185000. men:Hierusalem deliuered & her enimies slaine by gods An­gels. and king E­zekiah by reason of the small nomber of men which hée had within the Citie was far vnequall & of power more fée­ble in respect of the king of Assiria: But neuerthelesse yet, hée deliuered his peo­ple from all violence and iniurie: For, God sent his holy Angell which in one night slew the same huge multitude of men, the hoast of Zenacherib so that in the morning earely all places were full of dead bodyes, as it appareth, 4. Reg. 19. And what iniuries and calamities would not that most pestilent enimie bring as well vnto Mothers as infants, but that good Angels preserued the in­fantes and their Mothers? Infantes and Children myghte fall into the waters, yea into the fire, and might chaunce into many other perrils, were it not, that GOD sauegardeth them with his good Angels, which for this pur­pose are ordayned of God, to haue faith­full and perpetuall care ouer vs, like as Dauid in the .90. Psal, singeth. He hath giuen his Angells charge ouer thee to [Page] keepe thee in all thy wayes & to beare thee in their armes, y^t thou dash not thy foote agaynst a stone. But what Sathā can doo how great his power & strength is, God now & then sheweth vnto the world, suffering Sathan somtime after his owne luste to bring vpon the world some hinderaunce & calamitie, to worke many troubles, somtimes causing sedici­ons & somtimes murders. And therfore god suffers y^e same, to the end we might take heed and beware of him the more diligently, that we may liue in greater feare of God, and not sleepe in sin as e­uen carelesse and gaping after the same. For when as good Angels by the secret iudgment of God do euen for a moment forsake and not saugard vs, by and by is Sathan then present, and worketh iniu­ry towardes vs by all meanes that hee may, after his owne lust, and performeth his worke against vs, he either violently casteth Children into waters, or fyre, o [...] giues them kniues wherby to hurt thē. And the ingratitude or sin of their pa­rents sometime do deserue this, that Sa­than haue some sufferance hereunto. In our time not farre hence was a certaine [Page] [Page] [Page] his peculyer Angell, and therefore all true Christian men haue his proper An­gells. And therefore in euery place al­so when wee are by our selues and with out moderators, it becometh vs to bee chaste, shamefast and modest, as wel in wordes as in gestures, in honor of those good Angells y^t wee offende them not as Paule. 1. Cor. 11. teacheth, that women should haue their heads couered & clos­ly attired, S. Paules rule. in the Church, by reason of the Angells, which are enioyned & gi­uen vnto vs, that they may alwayes and in all places gouerne vs, comfort vs, de­fend vs, teach vs, be present with vs, & helpe vs. In our childe byrth, in our iorneying, in all things and in all daun­gers, for all our lyfe long, euen vnto the finall ende and laste parte playing of the race of our dayes, yea euen vn­till the absolute and full saluation and glorification of vs. Touching which matter let vs geue eare vnto moe testi­monies of the sacred scriptures.

In Acts Cha. 11. Peter was bound in the prison with two chaynes & was di­ligently and carefully kept & watched of the souldiours, least hee should escape a­way. [Page] But what hapned?S. Peters Angell the 2 time. when Peter slept in the night, the Angell came to him and sayde: Arise by and by and straight way the chaynes fell from hys handes, and the Angell brought him loose out of the prison, and so the Lorde by his Angell deliuered hym out of the handes of Herod.

In .5. Acts, when the chéefe Préestes with the Saduces at Ierusalem had taken and cast the Apostles into prison,The Apo­stles Angell. the Angel of the Lord in the night, (the dors of the prison beeing open,) brought out thence the Apostles, commaunding them to preache the Gospell vnto the people.

Math. 1. Cap. Maries An­gel. The Angell shewed Io­seph in his sleepe, that Mary should bee with Childe not by man, but by opera­tion and power of the holy Ghoste, and reuailed the Chyldes name, also, which shoulde bee giuen him, viz: Iesus. Also Math. 2. The Angell againe warneth Ioseph to flye with the childe and his mother into Egypt. And when Herod was dead the Angell againe came to Ioseph warning him that he should re­turne home out of Egypt into the land [Page] [Page] [Page] confidence in them,Whether Angels are to be wor­shipped or no. call vppon them in our necessities, and craue helpe of them▪ In y^e Popedome (as ye know) that is ob­serued, & peculier temples or Churches are also builded for them, and dedicated vnto them. But this honour was both vnprofitable and vngodly, instituted and deuised by mans méere election and good intention.

The Scripture teacheth vs, that we must not repose our hope and confidence vpon any other, but vpon one onely and true God, and that he onely is to be cal­led vpon in necessities, as in deede the true and most assured helper in al euils, lyke as we learne in the .1. and .2. com­maundement. And the Scripture saith Ieremy. 17. That he is blessed which put­teth his trust in God. Againe, Dauid saith in his .77. Psal. The childrē which shall bee begotten, and shall arise, shall declare vnto the Children, that they put their trust in God, and not to forget the worke of God, but searche foorth his commaundementes.

But hearken, what (as touching in­uocation of Saintes, the godly ones in the Church for a thousand yeeres, haue [Page] helde opinion: Least yee surmise that I teache you in this behalfe any newe in­uention.